Here's some cartoons from the BEST CARTOONS OF 1964, "being a selection, by the artists themselves, of the best cartoons they drew for the leading magazines in the country for the past year." It's copyright 1964 by the series' long time editor Lawrence Lariar. The nice paper cover has long since been landfill, so here's the frontispiece.

Bob Weber's cartoons are always fun. Full of lowlifes, full of action -- and there's always an old timey cartoon touch to admire. In this case, I'm admiring the little puffs of smoke behind the hubby. This guy gets snaps for escaping the police and running through town without losing his stogie!

Here's a nice pen scratchy Joe Farris cartoon. It's only by letting my eye wander for a moment, keying in on what the shrink is looking at, that I was able to see those patient's fingers.

George Dole is one of the greats. I like his wide-eyed characters and easy, quick sketch style.

I like how the kid's hand is at his hip. So theatrical. Bo Brown has made a good point.

Jack Tippit with a prescient cartoon. Lariar wrote in his introduction that, "The past year may well go down in history as The Year of the Unleashed Libido." This cartoon certainly qualifies.

Arthur Henrickson with an early raw food market cartoon.

The one and only Don Orehek with a dopey cop. Note how his black spotting gets your eye bouncing between the 4 "Budapest String Quartet members" and the foreground.

Vahan Shirvanian (who just had a cartoon in yesterday's Wall Street Journal) gives us a 2 panel take on an old idea. I laughed at it. Maybe you saw it coming, but I didn't!

Do kids even know what a divining rod is? Here's another multi-panel by Jack Tippit. You can never have enough Tippit.

Michaud made me laugh out loud. Another "Year of the Libido" cartoon, for those who are counting! Look at the lovely little details of the room, and that easy, sweeping wash.

Jim Whiting reporting on the wild, drunken parties. Nowadays, a quick phone call from one of the kids' cell phones to Child Protective Services would bring about a swift end to this behavior!

This is maybe a dated and silly gag, but look at the composition: a sea of frowns as we look from left to right -- and then we see the exception, and read the gag line. All done in an economic 2-3 seconds.

Announcing a new graphic novella, serialised in The Times every Monday from June 2nd for the next six months:

The Trial of the Sober Dog by Nick Abadzis

Everyone one had one: the person at school who was thought most likely to succeed. A chance encounter at a private view sees friends Marco and Petra encounter their old school rival Joe Chase again after many years. It seems he has indeed lived up to his potential… but things aren’t always what they seem. No matter how it seems to observers, nobody can have it all…

Told through observations, anecdotes, flashbacks and musings by different narrators, each episode shows a different aspect of Chase and multiple reasons why he might still be nicknamed The Sober Dog…

The Times relaunch on June 2nd features The Sober Dog as its new T2 Monday strip in full colour. Every episode will be available to read online, the day after publication, here:

The man who will be best remembered as the composer of the original STAR TREK TV theme music had been in declining health since 2005. Mr. Courage passed away on May 15, 2008 at the Sunrise assisted-living facility in Pacific Palisades, CA.

"Courage himself was a genial man with an impish sense of humor. His Trek cue titles are marked by odd puns and inside jokes like 'Monitor Gizzard,' 'Lurch Time' (for a ship-shaking scene in 'The Naked Time') and 'Banana Farm.' After Courage wrote the Star Trek theme music Gene Roddenberry offered to write lyrics to the tune—an arrangement that earned the Trek creator half of the royalties on the oft-played theme and cost Courage quite a lot of money, particularly given that Roddenberry’s lyrics were never given any authentic recording or performance until Nichelle Nichols recorded a version late in her career. Stung by the arrangement, the cheeky Courage would sometimes sign Roddenberry’s name when asked for his autograph.

"I have this very deep urge urge to make fun of sensitive issues. I can't help myself. If you laugh, you are not afraid."

Just posted: a February 28, 2008 interview with "Gregorius Nekschot" in Dutch, German and English. Mr. Nekschot was arrested in his home for posting offensive anti-Islamic cartoons on his blog. A quote from the article linked above:

"Prosecutors said eight cartoons by Gregorius Nekschott considered reprehensible had been pulled from his website for 'exceeding the limits' of freedom of expression."

Like a fool, I publicized it here. Yes, it was a foolish thing to do: publicize a blog that is one day soon going to eclipse mine big time!

Well, anyway, Jim has been doing some great work and I have no choice but to bring to your attention today's entry about Bob Weber, the man behind King Features' Moose & Molly newspaper strip since 1965.

Bob's a great guy, and exemplifies the kind of graciousness and kindness that is all part of the pro cartooning world. Thanks for sharing this, Jim.

"I'm going to go through this piece of shit with you, because I'm sure a lot of aspiring cartoonists read my blog and I want to do my part to help you all have a future.

"Read my bloggy lips: if you sign this contract, say goodbye to THE FUTURE."

It seems a lot like the online Zuda contract: Tokyopop's "Manga Pilot" venture wants all rights and no liability. As Bryan points out, there are waaaay too many other, better ways to get your work out there. Do not sell yourself out just to get published.

The weather report for New Orleans was for hot, hot, steamy, rainy weather all weekend. But it only rained on Thursday and by Friday the rain was intermittent, leaving only the hot, hot & steamy behind ....

I am placing these photos here randomly since if I got them organized, it would be days later before I could manage. See below for some more links to more sites with more organized pictures.

Above is the one and only legendary Jack Davis and me, Mike Lynch, in a photo taken by his wife, Deena "I take very bad photos" Davis. Really. She warned me. Mr. Davis made fun of her cutting off the tops of our mutual heads.

Richard Thompson and Rob Rogers. It was at the till-all-hours meet & greet on the first night there. All are bleary and tired, but happy.

Um, ask Mark Tatulli about The Great American Comic Strip Suck-a-thon. It's for real and it's coming in June 2009.

All in all, an excellent and massive dose of fun. I was involved in some meetings and behind the scenes stuff. At one point, it had been over 2 days and I'd not stepped out of the hotel. Too busy!Related links:

"'She was the inspiration for all of my success,' Bil Keane, 85, told the Associated Press from his home in Paradise Valley on Sunday. 'When the cartoon first appeared, she looked so much like Mommy that if she was in the supermarket pushing her cart around, people would come up to her and say, 'Aren't you the Mommy in 'Family Circus?' And she would admit it.'"

Bil's son Jeff is the current National Cartoonists Society president. My condolences to the Keane family on this sad loss.